A mum-of four is having her entire back covered in tattoos in memory of friends and family she has lost to cancer.

Lyndsay Keen, of China Street, Accrington, faces months of sessions to complete the design based around a large pink ribbon.

The 44-year-old hopes the body art will serve as a tribute to her loved ones as well as raising awareness of the disease.

Lyndsay’s grandmother Edith Greenwood was 78 when she died of stomach cancer and this year Lyndsay has also lost her aunt Christine Grimshaw, 58, to ovarian cancer and her friend Jeanette Reagan to lung cancer.

She said: "My grandmother was ill for a long time with cancer and it took me a long time to come to terms with it. I’ve had a lily done on my back in tribute to her and butterflies as well, as they symbolise her freedom from cancer.

"It can be quite painful getting them done but when you compare it to what those people who’ve had cancer have gone through it’s nothing compared to that."

Lyndsay was inspired to get the tattoos by Clayton-le-Moors tattoo artist Lee Moore, of Moore Ink on Whalley Road, who has been offering three specialist pink ribbon designs to raise money and awareness for Cancer Research.

She recruited 16 people, including her two eldest daughters, Lacey Bower, 20, and Devon Bower, 18, to get tattooed with pink ribbon designs based on the Cancer Research logo.

Lyndsay started building up her tattoos in November with lilies, butterflies, hummingbirds alongside the ribbon design.

She said: "It will take a few months yet, we’re not following a set plan, I’m designing it with Lee as we go along.

"So many people have lost someone to cancer and I hope this can help raise awareness, as well as being a tribute."

Lee Moore, 25, said: "The three designs have proved very popular. Lyndsay brought in 16 people to have the tattoos done, it was amazing."

Lee had been offering the pink ribbon design tattoos at £35 each, with £30 donated to Cancer Research and £5 to cover the costs of the equipment.

To mark the end of the charity tattoos this weekend, Lee has organised an evening of fundraising at the Oaklea Tavern.

He said: "We’ve raised quite a lot for charity already and we’re hoping to add to that total with this night at the Oaklea Tavern."

There will be karaoke, a disco, a raffle and an auction at the event on Saturday night. The main prizes for the auction are a signed Blackburn Rovers shirt and two tickets to any Accrington Stanley game.

The fundraising evening takes place at the Oaklea Tavern on Whalley Road on Saturday, January 29 from 7pm.